Matchday Eight Premier League Preview: Hammers Travel North To Turf Moor As Saturday Serves Up A Premier League Thriller

It has been a very long International week, but the Premier League is back once again for Matchday Eight and it has some real treats in store this weekend, with a battle of giants at Anfield and our Hammers travelling to Turf Moor for an intriguing clash.

Liverpool vs Manchester United (Saturday 12:30 PM)

It is one of the world’s most-watched sporting events and we now have less than 24 hours to wait for The Reds to host The Red Devils on Merseyside, live on Sky Sports.

The fixture is set to renew one of football’s oldest rivalries, bring two of the very best managers in Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho together and make for an electric Anfield atmosphere.

United come into the encounter as favourites and tied say the top with rivals Manchester City, after defeating Crystal Palace emphatically at Old Trafford before the Break.

Meanwhile, the hosts have endured a shaky start to the season which has put pressure on Klopp and aroused real questions about their defence, they sit seventh and struggled to a draw at St James’ Park in late September.

Interestingly, these two clubs have won the exact same amount of points since Mourinho’s appointment at Manchester United, balancing the scales evenly ahead of the momentous match.

Glanville’s Prediction: 2-2.

Burnley vs West Ham United (Saturday 3 PM)

In another huge game for Slaven Bilic, we make the trip to Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon for an interesting match-up against an in-form Burnley side.

The Clarets have shocked the Premier League this season with a remarkable start that has included a victory at Stamford Bridge, a draw at Wembley and a win at Goodison Park.

Sean Dyche’s men sit sixth with 12 points and are set to prove a very tough team to beat for our Hammers, currently in 15th and needing another huge three points.

Both sides were one goal winners in Gameweek Seven, but the odds are very much stacked in our favour having won five consecutive games in all competitions against Burnley and could make it five on the bounce against a side in the Premier League for the second time tomorrow.

Glanville’s Prediction: 1-1.

Manchester City vs Stoke City (Saturday 3 PM)

In yet another Saturday afternoon tie, The Potters are set to become the next team in the middle of City’s path of destruction at The Etihad stadium.

September’s win at Stamford Bridge meant that Pep Guardiola’s men have now been victorious in an unbelievable eight consecutive games in all Competitions, including five in The PL.

Whereas, Mark Hughes’ Stoke are enduring another mixed campaign as they sit in their predicted position of mid-table and are heading to Manchester off the back of a home victory over The Saints.

However, they have little hope of causing an upset as The Citizens have netted 19 times without conceding in their last five Premier League fixtures and are currently, simply unstoppable.

Glanville’s Prediction: 5-0.

Crystal Palace vs Chelsea (Saturday 3 PM)

Second only to the North-East Derby in terms of potential entertainment factor this weekend, The Eagles host The Blues at Selhurst Park in another one of five Saturday afternoon kick-offs.

Roy Hodgson’s Palace are currently in the most desperate of predicaments, 20th place, no points, no goals and on the verge of becoming the first team in Premier League history to lose their first eight Premier League games of the season.

On the flip side, Antonio Conte’s Chelsea are enjoying another superb campaign after recovering from an opening day defeat to Burnley but were bested by Manchester City at Stamford Bridge just before the break.

If an ounce of fate pointed to a Palace miracle, the stats certainly don’t as The Blues have taken more points from London Derbies than any other team in PL history and look set to add to that total tomorrow afternoon.

Glanville’s Prediction: 0-4.

Tottenham vs AFC Bournemouth (Saturday 3 PM)

Mauricio Pochettino welcomes Eddie Howe to Wembley Stadium tomorrow afternoon as Spurs look to end their search for a league win in West London and The Cherries look to climb out of a tricky spot.

For all the home side’s marvellous form this season, they haven’t won at home in the league which will worry many, but coming off an emphatic away thrashing of Huddersfield Town, who would bet against them?

Bournemouth could prove to be just the team that Tottenham need to play at home right now, low on confidence and low on points, having failed to find a winner against The Foxes before the break. They remain in the bottom three.

The man that could prove to be the difference for the hosts is an on-fire Harry Kane with 15 this season for club and Country, whereas, Bournemouth’s own star forward Jermain Defoe has a dire record against his former team.

Glanville’s Prediction: 2-0.

Swansea City vs Huddersfield Town (Saturday 3 PM)

The last of the 3 PM kick-offs will see a battle of The AFC’s in Wales as The Swans welcome The Terriers to The Liberty stadium.

Slim defeats have been the theme of the season so far for Paul Clement but blame bad luck as many might, the fact is, they sit in the Relegation Zone heading into the clash after defeat at The London stadium.

David Wagner’s men have fallen on tougher times of late after their wondrous start to a first ever Premier League season after defeat at home to Spurs saw them fall to 11th, but face a side who are a lot worse off than them.

Remarkably and historically, the fixture will be the first time that the two sides have met in the Top-Flight and the 92nd to be played in all four tiers of English football.

Glanville’s Prediction: 3-1.

Watford vs Arsenal (Saturday 5:30 PM)

In BT Sport’s only live fixture of Gameweek Eight, Arsene Wenger’s Gunners make the short and tricky trip to face off with Marco Silva’s Hornets at Vicarage Road.

The hosts have treated fans to slick and effective football that has guided them to eighth under new boss Silva but did have to rely on a very late equaliser from Richarlison to save a point at The Hawthorns in their last outing.

Whereas, the PL’s longest-serving manager enjoyed a superb unbeaten September record in all competitions with his Arsenal side after a shaky start, dispatching Brighton before the break and sitting just a point above Watford.

The Hornets will take confidence into the tie after ending a run of eight league defeats against The Gunners with a win at The Emirates in January but they will have to beat Petr Cech who has four consecutive clean sheets to his name.

Glanville’s Prediction: 2-2.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Everton (Sunday 1:30 PM)

Toffees fans will make one of the longest trips in English football this Sunday, 273 miles to be precise, to watch their side face Premier League new-boys Brighton & Hove Albion.

The hosts have won two of their three home games this season and will be heavily backed at The Amex, Hughton’s boys are currently 14th with seven points, a respectable return for a first season in the Premier League.

However, Ronald Koeman’s men are in more than a little bit of lumber, while struggling in Europe, their league form has decapitated, they are 16th after Burnley became the latest team to embarrass them at home.

Despite this, Everton have only been defeated in one of their last 19 games against newly-promoted clubs, but Hughton has only lost one in five against the Blue Boys of Merseyside.

Glanville’s Prediction: 2-1.

Southampton vs Newcastle United (Sunday 4 PM)

On Sky Sports Super Sunday, another giant trip will be made by fans of Newcastle United to The South Coast, where they will go toe to toe with The Saints.

Being branded as “The league’s most boring team this season”, is never a good thing for a manager whose predecessor was sacked for the drab style of football he played, but there is no doubt that Mauricio Pellegrino must improve.

His side are underwhelmingly occupying 12th position after a mixed start to the campaign and have recently slumped to consecutive defeats against Stoke and Manchester United.

Meanwhile, The Magpies have impressed with 10 points and a top ten position, Rafa Benitez will be hoping for a first win at The St Marys’ Stadium as Manager come Sunday afternoon.

Glanville’s Prediction: 2-3.

Leicester City vs West Bromwich Albion (Monday 8 PM)

The Premier League weekend concludes on Sky Sports MNF with a Midlands Derby at The King Power Stadium as The Foxes host The Baggies for a feisty clash.

Four points separate the two teams, but surprisingly it is Tony Pulis’ men who have the upper hand with nine points and tenth position after heartbreak in the dying embers of their home tie with Watford.

Craig Shakespeare’s Leicester City have endured a tough start to the campaign, now two years after their incredible title win, after a poor draw at The Vitality Stadium they are 17th.

Despite this, the hosts will be the favourites for the clash as they have won four of their last five league matches on a Monday and will be hoping to make it five in six.

Glanville’s Prediction: 3-2.

So, with the unrivalled action of the Premier League poised to return this weekend for Gameweek Eight and all the spoils and thrills well and truly previewed, who will be the winners? Who will be the losers? And who will be leading the way come Monday night?